NYC mayoral candidate Mamdani identified as Black on Columbia application

Zohran Mamdani, the Democratic nominee for mayor of New York City, has come under scrutiny after it was revealed that he identified as “Black or African American” on his 2009 Columbia University application, despite now stating that he does not consider himself Black. The information was obtained from a leaked database of past Columbia applications in a recent hack targeting the prestigious Ivy League school.

In addition to checking the box for “Black or African American,” Mamdani also checked “Asian” and wrote in “Ugandan” in the space for additional background information. Although his father is a professor at Columbia, Mamdani was ultimately not accepted to the university. Now 33 years old, Mamdani explained to The New York Times that he wanted his college application to reflect his “complex background” and that checking multiple boxes was not an attempt to gain an advantage in the competitive admissions process.

It is worth noting that at the time Mamdani applied to Columbia, the university, like many other elite institutions, used race-conscious admissions policies. However, the Supreme Court struck down this practice in 2023. Mamdani emphasized that aside from his college application, he does not recall ever identifying as Black or African American.

Mamdani, whose parents are of Indian descent, has been vocal about his South Asian and Muslim identity during his mayoral campaign. He has also highlighted his African roots, stating in a speech at Al Sharpton’s National Action Network that he was born in Kampala, Uganda, and was named after the first Prime Minister of Ghana.

President Donald Trump recently referenced Mamdani at a rally, suggesting that if he interferes with immigration laws, he would be arrested. In response, Mamdani, a self-identified democratic socialist, dismissed the remarks as an attempt to intimidate those who speak out against the status quo.

As the mayoral race heats up, Mamdani’s complex background and identity have sparked discussion and debate. It remains to be seen how this revelation will impact his campaign moving forward. Fox News Digital has reached out to the Mamdani campaign for comment on the matter.